Sony Pictures Classics Buys Sundance Doc 'Searching For Sugar Man'

BREAKING: In the first deal on the ground at Sundance, Sony Pictures Classics bought North American rights to Searching For Sugar Man, which premiered last night as the opening film of the festival’s World Cinema Documentary Competition. The documentary, from first-time director Malik Bendjelloul, revolves around a South African musical phenomenon named Rodriguez, a musician who hailed from Detroit and was an unsung 1960s hero — a mix of Bob Dylan and Smokey Robinson — who never made it big.

There were even rumors that he had shot himself to death onstage. In South Africa, an album of his, a protest of apartheid, became a huge seller, and the film is a search for the man behind the legend. The doc is produced by Simon Chinn of Red Box Films and executive produced by John Battsek of Passion Pictures in association with Canfield Pictures and The Documentary Co. Rodriguez is actually around to take his bows, playing a song during this morning’s screening at The Yarrow. Submarine’s Josh Braun and David Koh sold it, and is now entertaining overtures for remake rights. Protagonist Pictures is handling international sales.

3 Comments

Looking forward to seeing this doc. I first heard Rodriguez’s “Sugar Man” traveling in Capetown. Great album. Got a chance to see him perform at the Echoplex here in L.A. Hopefully he gets some more of the recognition he deserves, but is probably content without.

Mcs • on Jan 20, 2012 7:05 pm

There is an awesome Rodriguez release from Light in the Attic Records that will blow your mind.

W.O. • on Jan 22, 2012 5:33 pm

SPC buying it means that it will play no other festivals and unless you live on the coast or Chicago, you probably won’t see it for about year or so.